Engine-starter.



V. BENDlX.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-I0. 1914.

1, 1 34,975, Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

3 BHEETSBHEET L BENDIXL GINE STARTER.

mu. ELLEDY we. no. new.

' Y Patent TS-SHEET2- I VINCENT BENDIX, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ENGINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Application filed August 10, 1914. Serial No. 856,055.

T all (r/10m it may concern.

Be it known that I, VINCENT BENDIX, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements'in Engine-Starters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to a starter for a gas engine andthe like characterized by the employment of a screw shaft operated by amotor and a pinion screw-threaded upon the shaft and adapted to travellongitudinally in one direction along the shat into engagement with arotary member of the engine to be started and to travel longitudinallyin the opposite direction after being thrown out of engagement with theengine member when the engine begins to run on its own power.

The object of this invention is to provide eflicient and positive stopsfor the last mentioned longitudinal movement of the pinion on its shaft,these stops beingof such character that all binding between the pinionand its shaft is prevented so that when the shaft is rotated the pinionwill properly advance longitudinally into engagement with said enginemember as intended. While the same character of stop may be used at'theother end of the screw shaft the same is not necessary because theengine member when it starts its rotations on its own power exertssufiicient force upon the pinion to dislodge it if there should be anybinding between it and the screw shaft of this extreme travel of thepinion.

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of an engine starterembodying my invention and illustrating the preferred form thereof; Fig.2 a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a similar section butillustrating thepinion at its extreme inward travel; Fig. 4- is an endelevation of the pinion but showing the weight removed;

Fig. 5 a sectional elevation of the corre-- sponding parts shown in Fig.1, with the exception that the screw shaft has a single screw threadinstead of the triple threads of Fig. 1; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 viewscorresponding to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, with the exception that they apply tothe modified form of screw shaft of Fig. 5; Fig. 9 a sectional elevationof a screw shaft and pinion illustrating a modified form of stop; Fig.10 an end elevation of the pinion of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 a sectionalelevation on the line 1111 of big. 9; Fig. 12 a sectional elevation ofanother modified form of stop; Fig. 13 a sectional elevation on the line1313- of Fig.- 12; Fig. 14: an elevation of the pinion of Fig. 12;Fi.g.*l5 a sectional modification of still another modified form ofstop; Fig. 16 a sectional elevation on the line 1616 of Fig. 15 lookingin the direction of the arrow and illustrating. a face view of the stopmember on the screw shaft; and Fig. 17 a face View of the pinion of Fig.15 illustrating the stop member thereon.

My invention in its broader aspect may partake of different forms and inthe accompanying drawings 1 have illustrated several of many practicaland efficient constructions.

. Speaking in general terms, the essence of my invention consists inproviding stops which contact at such angle as not to cause a binding ofone with the other, whereby the pinion is 'always free to movelongitudinally of the screw shaft when the latter is rotated in thestarting operation. The preferred form of stop is illustrated in Figs. 1to 8 but the other or modified forms embody the same invention in itsbroader aspect.

Referring to the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4.- the screwshaft 1 is mounted within the casing 2 and rotated by means of asuitable prime mover such as the electric motor 3 through the medium ofsuitable driving connections which need not be here explained as theyform no part of the invention. The intermediate portion of the screwshaft is screw-threaded being preferably provided with triple threads 1.The extreme outer end of the shaft which is reduced in diameter isprovided with other and ordinary threads 1 which run in the oppositedirection to the threads 1. Upon the outer threads 1 isscrewed a bearingsleeve. provided with the thrust flange 4 against which the outer faceof the pinion 5 contacts at its extreme outward travel. The pinion isscrew threaded upon the threads 1 of the screw shaft and is thereforecorrespondingly provided with triple threads Explaining the operation ofthe parts as thus far described, the rotation of the screw shaft by themotor 3 will cause a longitudinal movement of the pinion 5 in adirection tothc right in Fig. 1, that is outwardly in this particularconstruction, with the result that the pinion will mesh with arotatablev practice the pinion will be thus automatithe pinion is in mesh withthe fly wheel it after whiwill come in contact with the thrust bearingsleeve 4 and will then rotate in unison with the screw shaft whereuponthe engine will be rotated through the medium of the fly' wheel. Whenthe engine starts to runon its own power the increased rate of rotationimparted to the pinion by means of the fly wheel will cause the pinion.to move longitudinally in the opposite direction along the screw shaft,that mm the left in Fig. 1 or inwardly in this particular construction.In

cally unmeshed from the fly wheel by this longitudinal movement and'willthereupon momentarily rotate with the screw shaft after clearing theinner face of the fly wheel, when the speed of rotation of the screw aftdecreases the pinion will at times move to its extreme inward travel.Without the use of proper stops for the travel of the pinion in thislatter direction the pinion would be apt to bind upon the screw shaft sothat when the shaft is thereafter rotated to repeat the engine startingoperation the pinion would rotate with the screw shaft and not movelongitudinally outward as intended. The stop device provided forpreventing any such binding will now be described.

The screw threads 1f or rather the grooves in the shaft to form thescrew threads 1 terminate abruptly at their inner ends to formshoulders 1. Inasmuch as the threads shown are triple threads there arethree of these shoulders 1. In like manner the triple threads of thepinion instead of .tapering or running out to nothing preferablyterminate in abrupt shoulders 5 as seen in Fig. 4:, which shoulders comeinto contact in unison with the shoulders 1 of the screw shaft. All ofthe shoulders or rather the members of each pairof shoulders presentsurfaces substantially parallel to each other the end of its travel inthe opposite direction, that is at the end of its outward travel in thepresent instance, has a three-point bearing against the thrust sleeve 4by'reason of the provision of the triple threads, and the pinion isthereby properly centered and the pressure distributed equidistantlyaround flange 4*- of this .thrust sleeve. While stop members may beprovided at this end of the screw shaft similar to the stops 1 the sameare not necessary inasmuch as the engine can dislodge the pinion andcause it to move longitudinally of the shaft even if it should becomebound thereon by frictional engagement with the thrust sleeve.

In Figs. 5 to 8 I have shown a construction which is the same as thatofFigs. 1 to 4: with the exception that the shaft 7 corresponding totheshaft 1 has a single screw thread 7 and a single stop shoulder 7 at itsinner end. Likewise the pinion 8 has a single stop shoulder 8 In Figs.9, l0 and 11 I have shown a modified form of stop for the longitudinalmovement in one direction'of the pinion 9 upon its screw shaft 10consisting of a pin 11 located at the end of the groove forming-thescrew threads of the shaft. This pin as shown in Fig. 11 isscrew-threaded into the screw shaft 10 with its head projecting abovethe surface of the groove so as to be contacted by the end 9- of thepinion. This end 9 forms a stop'shoulder adapted to cooperate with thepin 1l '-"by acting at substantially right angles thereto to-constitutea positive stop for the pinion without any binding effect.

In Figs. 12, 13 and 14 I have shown another modified form ofconstruction for the pinion 12 upon its screw shaft 13. The stop deviceconsists of two stop members, one being a pin 14 somewhat similar to thepin 11 but projecting outwardly toa greater distance than the latter soas to be in a position to be contacted by a pin 15 carried by the pinion12 and projecting laterally from its inward face. In this constructionthe thread of the pinion is not utilized as one of the stop members butthe special pin 15 is provided. I

In Figs. 15, 16 andl7 I have shown still another modified 'form of stopfor the pinion 16 on its screw shaft 17. In this construction the stopmember on the screw shaft consists of a clutch-shaped disk 18 and thestop member on the pinion consists of a correspondingly shaped clutchface 19 which members are adapted to contact each other with their stopshoulders moving against each other in the same direction, that is faceto face, so as to avoid any binding ofthe pinion upon the screw shaft.

I claim:

1. An enginestarter comprising, in combination with a member operativelyconnected with the engine, a motor, a driving member adapted tocooperate with and drive said engine member but normally out ofengagement therewith, a rotatable member which is driven by the motorand on which the driving member is'mounted for rotary and also forlongitudinal movement, whereby when said rotatable member is rotated.the driving member is automatically moved the driving memberlongitudinally in the,

other direction and out of its said driving engagement, and means forstopping the longitudinal movement of said driving member in the latterdirection and preventing binding thereof.

2. An engine starter comprising, in combination with amember'operatively connected with the engine, a motor, a driving member,adapted to cooperate with and drive said engine member but normally outof engagement therewith, a rotatable shaft which is driven by the motorand on which the driving member is screw-threaded for rotary movementtherewith and also for longitudinal movement in one direction forengagement between the driving member and the engine member and in theother direction for disengagement between said parts, and

a stop on the shaft for stopping such latter longitudinal movement ofthe driving member and preventing binding thereof.

3. An engine starter comprising, in com bination with a memberoperatively connected with the engine, a motor, a shaft driven therebyand having a threaded portion, a pinion screw-threaded on the shaft andadapted to travel longitudinally in both directions thereon, in onedirection into engagement with the engine member and in the otherdirection out of engagement therewith, and means on the screw shaft forstopping the pinion in its movement in the last named direction andpreventing binding thereof.

4. An engine starter comprising, in combination with a memberoperatively connected with the engine, a motor, a shaft driven therebyand having a threaded portion, a pinion screw-threaded on the shaft andadapted to travel longitudinally in both directions thereon, in onedirection into engagement with the engine member and in the otherdirection out of engagement therewith, anda stop on the shaft adapted tobe contacted by the pinion in its movement in the last named directionto stop it and prevent binding thereof.

5. An engine starter comprising, in combination with a memberoperatively connected with the engine, a motor, a shaft driven therebyand having a threaded portion, a pinion screw-threaded on the shaft 7and adapted to travel longitudinally in both directions thereon, in onedirection into engagement with the engine member and in ment in the lastnamed direction, acting, at substantially right angles to ,a part of thepinion.

6. An engine starter comprising, in combination with a memberoperatively connected with the engine, a motor, a shaft driven therebyand having a threaded portion, a pinion screw-threaded on the shaft andadapted to travel longitudinally in both directions thereon, in onedirection into engagement with the engine member and in the otherdirection out of engagement therewith, said pinion and shaft havingcooper ating stop members arranged to contact when the pinion reachesits extreme travel in the last named direction.

7. An engine starter comprising, in combination with a memberoperatively connected with the engine, a motor, a shaft driven therebyand having a threaded portion, a pinion screw-threaded .on the shaft andadapted to travel longitudinally in both directions thereon, in onedirection into engagement with the engine member and in the otherdirection out of engagement therewith, and a stop for the pinion in itsmovement in the last named direction, located at the end of the threadof the screw shaft and adapted to be contacted by the end of the threadof the pinion.

8. An engine starter comprising, in combination with a memberoperatively connected with the engine, a motor, a shaft driven therebyand having a screw-threaded portion, and a pinion screw-threaded on saidshaft and adapted totravel longitudinally thereon and out of engagementwith the engine member when the engine runs on its own power, one end ofthe thread of the shaft terminating abruptly to form a shoulder whichthe thread of the pinion strikes at its said extreme travel and by whichsuch travel is stopped.

9. An engine starter comprising, in com bination with a memberoperatively connected with the engine, a motor, a shaft driven therebyand having a screw-threaded portion, and a pinion screw-threaded on saidshaft and adapted to travel longitudinally thereon and out of engagementwith the engine member when the engine runs on its own power, one end ofthe thread of the shaft terminating abruptly to form a shoulder and thecorresponding end of the thread ofthe pinion also terminating abruptlyto form a shoulder, said shoulders constituting cooperating stopmembers.

10. An engine starter comprising, in combination with a memberoperatively connected with the engine, a motor, a shaft driven therebyand having a plurality of screw-threads, and a pinion screw-threadedthereon with corresponding plurality of screw-threads, one end of thethreads of the screw shaft formed as stops for stopping the pinion inits longitudinal movement on the shaft. I

11. An engine starter comprising, in combination With a memberoperatively connect ed withthe engine, a motor, a shaft driven therebyand having a plurality of screwthreads, and a pinion screw-threadedthereon with corresponding plurality of screw threads, one end of thethreads of the screw shaft terminating in'shoulders forming stops vforstopping the pinion in its longitudinal movement on the shaft.

12. An engine starter comprising, in combmation with a memberoperatively connected with the engine, a motor, a shaft driven therebyand having a plurality of screw threads, and a pinion screw-threadedthereon with corresponding plurality of screw threads, one end of thethreads of the screw shaft terminating in shoulders forming stops forstopping the pinion in its longitudinal movement on the shaft, and thecorresponding end of the threads of the pinion terminat'ing inshoulders'forming stopscooperating with the other stops, the diflerentstops being arranged to contact in unison. I

13, An engine starter comprising, in combination with a memberoperatively connec t ed with the engine, amotor, a shaft driven therebyand having a, threaded portion, a

pinion screw-threaded on the shaft and adapted to travellongitudinallyin both directions thereon, in. one direction intoengagement with the engine member and in the other direction out ofengagement therewith, and coacting stops on the -shaft and pinionrespectively for stopping the travel of the pinion inits last-nameddirection. v VIN OENTBENDIXM Witnesses:

S. E. HIBBEN, ROBERT DOBBERMAN.

